Floor finishing and polishing machine.



W. 0. GANFIELD.

FLOOR FINISHING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB..29, 1908.

76,00, Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. O. GANFIELD.

FLOOR FINISHING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.29, 1908.

Patented NOV. 15, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4 7 a w 1 flwpzlsfim 7 m J 1 lo I d W. 0. OANPIELD.

FLOOR FINISHING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

AYPLIOATION FILED APR. 29,1908.

976,010, Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3 to equip the machine with a larly in the claims at t FFKQE.

WILLIAM OWEN CANFIELD, 0F CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

FLOOR FINISHING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM 0. CAN- rmnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chattanooga, in the County of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented new'and useful Improvements in Floor F inishing and Polishing Machines, of which the following is -a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in machines for finishing and polishing Wooden floors, and it has for its object primarily to provide an improved machine of this character having an abrasive roller provided with novel means for elevating and lowering it relatively to the surface of the floor, said elevating and lowering means being provided with leveling or adjusting devices whereby either end of the abrasive roller may be raised or lowered in order to secure a proper bearin of the periphery of the roller against the co 1 Another object of the invention is to provide an abrasive roller of this character having means for counterbalancing the weight thereof in order that the ressure of the.

roller against thefioor may e conveniently and accurately adjusted by the operator.

Further objects of the invention-are to' provide a self-propelled finishing and pollshing machine of this character having novel means for driving the same, and also casing which substantiall .incloses the abrasive roller and is provid 'with means for collecting the particles of sand and wood, an exhaust fan eing pro ided for takin up these particles andciinveying them t b a suitable dustcollecting device.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements, vand'combination's' an'd arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being ointed out particulie end of the specification.h d v Int e accom an ing rawin i re 1 represents a sid el vationof adioor fi r iishand polishing machine constructed in in acgordance with my present invention 'Fig. 2 represents anfelevation of the opposite side of the machine; Figs. 3 and 4 are end elevations of the,opposite ends of the machine; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the mechanism. for elevating and lowering the abrasive roller and for counterba'lancmg the weight thereof; Fig. 6 is a detail view of novel Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed April 23, 1908. Serial No. 429,959.

Patented Nov. 115, 1911i).

means for leveling or adjusting the ends of the roller with respect to the floor; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the steering casters Finishing and polishing machines con-- structed in accordance with my present invention are applicable generally for use in dressing, finishing or polishing flat surfaces and floors of various kinds, and it will be understood that certain modifications ma be made in the detail construction thereo and the abrasive materials used upon the roller may be varied according to the work to be performed, the machine shownin the present embodiment of the invention being especially adapted for usein the finishing andpolishing of hard wood floors.

In the present instance, the machine com- I prises a carriage or frame 1 of suitable con if struction which is supported at one end by a driving roller 2 mounted on a transverse shaft3 journaled in suitable bearings at the under side of the frame, and the opposite end of the machineis supported by a pair of turnable casters 4: and 5, the latter having vertical stems 6 and 7 which are suitably journaled in bearings on the frame, and the casters are provided with steering arms 8 and 9 which are pivotally connected to the steering rod 10. One end of the latter is connected bv a link 11 to a crank 12 arranged onone end of a rock shaft 13, the

latter being journaled in suitable bearings at one side of the machine as shown in Fig. 1 and is provided with an upright lever let which, may beftilted in the appropriate di-C I rectlon by the operatorto direct the course of the machine. I

The machine in the present instance is 'self-nrope lled,' it carrying a motor 15, an

electric motor being generally preferable by reason of'its flexible and convenient power connections, and this motor is provided with a pinion 16 on its shaft whichcoiiperates with a gear 17 mounted on a shaft 18 journaled on the frame, the said shaft being which is supported in suitable bearings onthe frame and carries a bevel pinion 22'at its lower end which is adaptedvto mesh adapted to engage so as tolock the alternately with a pair of reversely arranged bevel Wheels 23 and 24. These bevel wheels are slidable axially of the shaft 3 of the driving roller, and a key- 25 serves to rotatably connect these bevel wheels with the shaft. These bevel wheels are shifted axially of the shaft by means of a reversing lever 26 which is fulcrumed on the machine frame at 27 and is provided with a forked end 28, which engages a circumferential groove 29 formed in a part carrying the two vbevel wheels. Obviously, by tilting the lever 26 in one direction, the bevel wheel 23 is operatively connected to the driving pinion ,22 and rotation of the shaft 18 will serve to drive the roller 2 in one direction, and a tilting of the lever 26 in an opposite direction .will disengage the bevel wheel 23 and engage the bevel wheel 24 withthe driving pinion 22, and the driving roller 2 will then be rotated in a reverse direction. In this manner the movement of the machine across the floor in either direction may be readily controlled.

The abrading roller or cylinder 30 is mounted on a shaft 31, the latter being ournaled at its opposite ends in a pair of ournal boxes 32 and 33, and in order to pro- .vide for a vertical movement of the roller, these journal boxes-are supported on a pair of roller supporting arms 34 and 35. These arms preferably rest above the machine frame and are adapted to be lifted at their rear ends by means of a rock shaft 36, the latter being journaled in suitable bearings on the frame and is provided with a pair of similarly arranged radial projections 37 and 38 which engage in recesses 39 and 40 formed in the'under sides of the respective arms. The rockshaft is provided at one end with a crank 41 to WlllCll is "pivotally attached an operating rod 42, the crank being preferably provided with a set of radi able the rod to be adjustably connected thereto. The opposite end o-f'the rod 42 is adapted to be operated by a lever 44 which is pivoted at 45 to" the machine frame and is provided preferably with a notched sector 46 with whlch a hand released dog 47 is ever in different adjusted positions.

' In order to facilitate the lifting and lowering of the abrading1 roller and to secure the pro er pressure t ereof upon the floor, the weight of' this roller is substantially counterbalanced by means of a spring '48 this s ring in the present instance beingof helica form and surrounding a portion of ally spaced bolt openings 43 in order to en-' the rod 42, one end of the spring being attached to the lever ,44 and the opposite end being inserted in one of the openings 49 spaced longitudinall of the rod 42, the rod 42 being guided an connectedto the lever so as to permit limited relative movement between these partsby means of a pin 50 on one of the parts, preferably the lever, which operates in a longitudinalg slot 51 in the rod. By inserting the respective end of the spring in the appropriate aperture 49 in the rod,

the tension of the spring may be adjusted so as to counterbalance to the desired degree the weight of the abrading roller.

In some cases, the periphery of the roller may wear to a greater extent toward one end than at the other and,-in order to maintain all surfaces of the roller in proper engagement with the floor, novel-means are provided for leveling or adjusting the roller supporting arms. In the present instance, 7

the inner ends of these arms are apertured to receive guidin bolts 52 which are screwed into a relative y fixedpart of the machine frame and helical compression springs or washers 53 are interposed between the upper sides of the respective arms and the heads of these bolts,-' the normal action of these. sprmgs' tending to depress the roller supporting arms. The downward movement of these arms, however, is limited by a pair of set screws 54 which are tapped into the respective arms so as to permit them to be adjusted so as to space the roller supporting arms at the proper elevation. Lock nuts 55 are preferably provided for securing these ad usting screws in adjusted position Obviously, by providing these adjusting deyices at the inner ends of the roller supportmg arms, it is possible to adjust .the ends of the roller independently and without dis turbing the connection between these arms and the rock shaft which serves to raise and lower the roller. The roller is rotated bymeans of a gear wheel 56 which is fixed to the shaft thereof and coiiperates with the gear 17 previously described.

In order to render the operation of the machine dustless, it is generally preferableto substantially inclose the roller with a thin metal easin 57 which covers the upper portion and si es thereof, the lower portion of this casing being of course open in proximity to the, floor in order to enable the roller to engage it, and the casing may be suitably constructed in sections so as to permit, removal thereof 'in order, to render the roller accessible for examination or recovering.- A collecting scoop 58 is mounted on the machine frame at the pro er side of' the roller-to receive the partic es of sand and wood. removed from the floor, this scoop having an elongated narrow mouth of. a

width corresponding to the length of the roller, anda pipe leads from this scoop to an exhaust fan59, the latter being provided with a discharge pipe 60 which leads to a fabric or other bag which is capable of retaining the particles of dust, although permitting the air to escape through the meshes thereof. This exhaust fan is preferably provided with a pinion 61 which meshes with the gear 17 so that it is driven continuously during the operation of the machine.

Any suitable abrasive medium may be may be applied to the periphery of the roller, or against a strip of carpet orother resilient material 65 whlch serves as a backing therefor, and the ends of the sand paper or backing are introduced into the groove 63, and a, correspondingly shaped clamping .bar 66 is applied to the groove and drawn into locked position by means of a bolt 67, this clamping bar of course lying below the periphery of the sand paper in order'to prevent contact thereof with the floor surface.

1 Such a clamping device enables the sand paper or other abrasive material 'to be readily renewed when necessary.

In operating a floor finishing and polishing machine constructed in'accordance with the present embodimentof any invention,

the fiexible'electric conductors are led across the floor or from the ceiling to a suitable controlling switch 68 through which the current is supplied to the motor, suitable fuse boxes and rheostats being provided for starting and controlling the speed of the motor as usual. The movement of the motor is transmitted through the gears 17 and 30 to the abrading roller, causing the latter to rotate, and at the same time the pinion 61 on the exhaust fan is driven from the gear 17 and serves to draw the dust into the scoop 58 and finallyinto the collecting receptacle.

The worm 19 also driven by the shaft 18,, and the operator b shiftin I the lever 26 may engage either 0 the b eve wheels 23 and 24: with the pinion 22 and thus cause the machine totravel over the fioorin the desired direction, and the course riphery of the rol of the machine may be controlled by manipulation of the lever 14 which is connected to the "pivoted casters. Normally the weight of the abrading roller tained by the spring 48, but by releasingthe dog 47 on the lever A-and shiftingkfthe latter across the notched sector 46, thesh'aft A 36 rotated, the pins 37 and 38 thereon serving to elevate or depressthe roller supporting arms, the dog47 cotiperating with the sector to lock the roller'operating' lever in the desired adjusted position. The peer maybe accurately adissubstantially sus-;

justed into a position in parallelism with the surface of the fioor by loosening the lock nuts 55 and suitably adjusting the set screwsht.

I claim as my invention 1. A machine of the class described comprising a portable carriage, an abrading roller, a pair of arms movable vertically with respect to the carriage and supporting said roller at points intermediate their ends, and adjustable fulcrums supporting the ends of said arms at one side of said roller for altering the'elevation of said arms to adjust the roller with respect to'the floor.

2. A machine of the class describedcomprising a portable carriage, an abrading roller, a pair of armsmovable vertically withrespect to the carriage and revolubly supporting said roller, adjustable fulcrums with respect to the carriage and supporting said roller, the ends of said arms being provided on their under sides with recesses, and a rock shaft mounted 'onthe carriage and having a pair of'radial pins engaging in the,

recesses of said arms for varying the vertical elevation thereof.

4;. A.machine of'the class described comprising a carriage, an abrading roller mounted for vertical movement on the carriage, and means for exerting yieldable force in a direction to counterbalance the weight of said roller. 7

. I 5. A machineof the class described comprising a carriage, an abrading roller mounted forvertical movement thereon, means normally acting yieldin 1y to counterbalance the weight of said ro ler, and devices for varying the vertical elevation of the roller with respect to the carriage with-j out varyingthe counterbalance of the roller, 6. A machineof the class described-com! prisin a carria e,. an abrading roller guide forvert-ica adjustment thereon, devices connect'edto the roller for adjusting vertically and having means for the latter locking it in adjusted position, and a sprih connected between the locking means an the roller and normally acting to counterbalance the weight thereof.

7. A machine of the class described com-- prising a -j' carriage, an; abrading roller, a pair of arms movable vertically withres ect to the carriage and supporting theroll r, a rock shaft coiiperating with said arms to elevate or depress them, a rod for'rotating said shaft, a lever capable of a limited move- 'ment-relatively to said rod, and a spring having its ends connected respectively to said lever. and rod and normally acting to counterbalance the weight of the roller.

machine of the class described comprlslng a carriage, an abradlng roller mounted thereon, and means cooperative s onding ends of said arm for varying the,

e evation thereof, with, respect to the carriage,

10. A machine of the class described comprising atcarriage, an abrading roller, a pair of arms movable vertically with respect to the carriage and supporting said roller, de- Vices for permitting vertical movement of the corresponding ends of said arms, adjustable devices for limiting the movement of said arms toward the-carriage, and means for normally holding said limlting means in v engagement with the carriage. 80

11. A machine of the class described comprising a carnage, an abrading roller, a pair of arms movable vertically with respect to the carria e, a pair of bolts for guidlng the correspon i-ng ends of said arms vertically on the carriage, springs connected to said bolts and normally tending to depress the corresponding ends of the arms, and set emcee screws threaded in the arms and cooperating with the-carriage to limit the relative movement between the latter and said arms.

12. A machine of the class described comprising a portable carriage, an abrading roller, a pair of arms having means at their outer ends for elevating and depressing them, and independently operable devices at the opposite ends of said arms for individually adjusting the elevation of the respective arms, the abrading roller being supported at its ends on said arms.

13. A machine of the class describedcom- 5 prising a portable carriage provided with a driving roller, an abrading roller mounted on the carriage and rovided with a driving gear,amotormounte on the carriage,a gear operatively connected to the motor and mesh ing with the gear on the abrading roller, an exhaust-fan having apinion meshing with the gear connected to the motor, the latter gear having a shaft provided with a worm,

a longitudinal driving shaft having a worm 0 wheel cooperating with said worm and provided with a driving pinion, and a pair of reversely arran ed gears operatively connected to the riving roller and shlftable the driving pinion to move the carriage in reverse directions. n

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM OWEN GANFIELD.

WitnesSes:' I

JOHN B. LEE,

axially of the latter to alternately engage 

